The Most Important Editorial Tool: Patience

by Deren Hansen

If, after all suggestions to the contrary, you're convinced your NaNoWriMo masterpiece is ready for the world after two weeks of editing, do yourself and everyone else a favor and review, "Ten Things I’ve Learned from Evaluating Self-Published Books for a Year," by Jessica Bennett, writing on Writer Unboxed. Here's a sample:

"2. Many Self-Publishers Publish Too Early

"One of the hardest decisions for an author to make is to decide when their book is “ready” to publish. I think a lot of newer authors lack the experience and patience to give their book that last needed scrub before putting it out on the market. Many of the self-published books I’ve read could benefit from a couple of months in a drawer to “breath” and then one last no-holds-bar edit.

"3. Self-Published Authors Need To Care More About Grammar

"Grammar is the most common quality standard that our submitted books miss at Compulsion Reads, which is a shame, because it’s also the easiest writing issue to fix. When you publish your book it’s no longer just art, it’s also a product. I’m amazed at how many self-published books I read that are filled with grammar mistakes."

Read the full article here.

Deren Hansen is the author of the Dunlith Hill Writers Guides. This article is from Sustainable Creativity: How to Enjoy a Committed, Long-term Relationship with your Muse. Learn more at dunlithhill.com.